2 Samuel 19:15-23 Meaning: David's Return
15So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
16Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.
18A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had come over the Jordan.
19He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?”
22David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”
23The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.
15So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
18And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
19And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?
22And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
15So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
16And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.
18And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan.
19And he said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah’s anointed?
22And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23And the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
15And the king turneth back, and cometh in unto the Jordan, and Judah hath come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan,
16and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who is from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of Judah, to meet king David,
17and a thousand men are with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the Jordan before the king.
18And passed over hath the ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which is good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his passing over into Jordan,
19and saith unto the king, `Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, --for the king to set it unto his heart;
20for thy servant hath known that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.'
21And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, `For this is not Shimei put to death--because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?'
22And David saith, `What--to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary? to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I am king over Israel?'
23And the king saith unto Shimei, `Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.
15And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.
16And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they forded the Jordan before the king.
18And a ferry boat passed to and fro to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was [just] crossing over the Jordan.
19And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.
20For thy servant knows that I have sinned; and behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?
22And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries to me? Should there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23And the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore to him.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Judah meet David at Gilgal? Discover the significance of this place and the surprising pardon of Shimei in David's return.
Context
David has been running for his life. His son Absalom led a rebellion, and the king fled Jerusalem with a handful of loyal followers. Now Absalom is dead, the revolt is over, and David is coming home. The tribe of Judah, his own tribe, finally stirs itself to escort him back. They gather at Gilgal, a place weighted with memory. It was at Gilgal that Israel first camped after crossing the Jordan, where Joshua set up stones of remembrance, and where Saul was made king. Now David returns there, not in conquest but in restoration. And into this moment walks Shimei, the same man who cursed and threw stones at David as he fled.
Key Words
Three words carry the weight of this scene. First, Shimei begs the king not to “impute iniquity” to him. That verb means to count or reckon something as belonging to someone, like a debt. Shimei is asking David not to put his sin on the scales. Second, David calls Abishai an “adversary.” The Hebrew word behind that is satan. Abishai wants Shimei dead, and David says that desire opposes the king’s own purposes. Third, Shimei calls himself “the first of all the house of Joseph”, a way of saying he represents the northern tribes who had followed Absalom. He claims to be the first to switch sides and welcome David back. Each word shapes the drama: a plea not to be counted guilty, a warning against those who would push for revenge, and a political claim wrapped in repentance.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage with both admiration and unease. Many see David's pardon as a model of grace, a king who refuses to settle scores on the day of his restoration. Matthew Henry calls it an act of clemency that quieted a potential enemy. Others note the political calculation: bringing a thousand Benjamites with him showed Shimei’s power. Later, on his deathbed, David tells Solomon to deal with Shimei (1 Kings 2:8), which has troubled readers. Some see a king who wisely waited; others see a broken oath. The Cambridge Bible observes that David cannot be acquitted of breaking the spirit of his promise. Both readings find support in the text, and both invite humility about human leaders.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that David completely forgave Shimei, wiping the slate clean forever. In fact, David swore only that Shimei would not die that day. His oath was specific, a pause on punishment, not a permanent pardon. Later, David charges Solomon with the matter, leaving room for justice after the king’s own restoration was secure.
Living This Out
This passage invites you to consider who you want to punish on your day of restoration. Maybe someone hurt you while you were down, and now you’re in a position to pay them back. David had every legal and emotional reason to let Abishai kill Shimei. But he chose restraint. He saw the bigger picture: this was a day for rebuilding, not revenge. You might be in a season where you have regained ground. Before you act, ask: Is today a day for settling scores, or for showing the kind of mercy you have received? The answer may cost you something. But it may also shape the kind of person you become.
Main takeaway: David’s pardon of Shimei at Gilgal shows that restoration is a time for mercy, not a license for revenge.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Shimei was mean to David, but David forgave him. God wants us to forgive people too, even when they hurt us.
For ages 9, 12
Shimei threw stones at David and called him names when David was sad and running away. But when David came back as king, Shimei said sorry. David could have punished him, but he didn't. He gave him a second chance. Maybe there's someone you need to give a second chance to today.
Questions People Ask
Why did Shimei curse David in the first place?
Shimei was from the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe of King Saul. He saw David's trouble as God's punishment for taking the throne from Saul's family (2 Samuel 16:5-8). He probably hoped David would be defeated and a son of Saul would rule again.
Why did David pardon Shimei, and did he really mean it?
David showed grace on the day of his return, likely to set a tone of mercy and to avoid provoking Shimei's thousand Benjamite supporters. But he did not promise lifelong immunity; he only swore Shimei would not die that day. Later, he instructed Solomon to act wisely regarding Shimei (1 Kings 2:8).
What is the significance of Gilgal in this story?
Gilgal was a sacred place where Israel first camped after entering the Promised Land (Joshua 5:9). It was also where Saul was made king (1 Samuel 11:14-15). For David to be escorted home from Gilgal connected his return to Israel's foundational story, God's faithfulness and covenant.
What does 'house of Joseph' mean in verse 20?
In this context, 'house of Joseph' stands for the ten northern tribes of Israel. Ephraim, Joseph's son, was the leading tribe among them. Shimei, a Benjamite, calls himself the first from the north to welcome David back, hoping to prove his loyalty.
For pastors & researchers
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